It is obviously the Roosters, Storm and Cowboys who will be the top 3. But I predict that the NZ Warriors, with Tohu Harris and Blake Green in the side, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Shaun Johnson showing their brilliance, will possibly make 4th place. So it is the NZ Warriors who will be the dark horse.
However a grey horse is Newcastle. Now that they have acquired Mitchell Pearce and Connor Watson, as well as Shaun Kenny-Dowell and Aiden Guerra -- three of whom were winners of the 2013 Grand Final for the Roosters -- Newcastle will appear like the Roosters reserve team, and possibly make the 8, at the expense of Manly.